Professional Documents
Culture Documents
We would like to thank the clients, direct sellers and app providers who contributed content to this effort, including information about their mobile apps and plans for the future, without which this would have been a very different report. We would like to especially thank Jonathan Ducos of LifeMax whose contribution was invaluable. Also, thanks to Maria Duron, Scott Allen and the entire team at Momentum Factor LLC. You are the best in this industry. We at our firm strive to be a progressive voice for this industry and consistently seek to alert its key players of technology and marketing trends to which they may avail. Our goal in creating this report was to educate the industry on the exceptional and soon-tobe indispensible tool that mobile apps have become for our companies and share information helpful to a successful implementation. We are happy to provide direct selling executives who may be considering mobile with a complimentary independent consultation about our discoveries and the findings from our research. Please contact us to schedule an appointment. We invite you to connect with us at www.MomoFactor.com Facebook.com/MomentumFactor Twitter.com/MomoFactor YouTube.com/MomoFactor info@MomoFactor.com
CONTENTS
Action
Packed
Apps
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3
Contents
....................................................................................................................................................
4
Introduction
............................................................................................................................................
1
Why
Direct
Selling
Companies
Should
COnsider
going
Mobile,
NOW
..................................
3
Telling
the
Story
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7
Re-Vitalize
Retention
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7
Communication
Channels
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9
Training:
The
New
Mobile
University
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10
Selecting
Your
Developer
.....................................................................................................................................
13
SURVEYING
THE
APP
LANDSCAPE
.................................................................................................
16
Atlas
Apps/Genie
Mobile
......................................................................................................................................
17
ByDesign
Technologies
.........................................................................................................................................
19
Data
Paradigm,
Inc.
...............................................................................................................................................
21
LeapFactor
.................................................................................................................................................................
23
Smart
Online
..............................................................................................................................................................
25
Buying
and
Building
...........................................................................................................................
26
Start-up
Apps
For
Start
Ups
...............................................................................................................................
26
Integration
Concerns
.............................................................................................................................................
27
Conclusion
.............................................................................................................................................
28
About
Momentum
Factor
.................................................................................................................
29
Core
Values
.................................................................................................................................................................
30
INTRODUCTION
Our Thesis: Effectively designed apps can drastically improve distributors informationto-action ratio, leading to increased retention, production, revenue, and profit. Mobile technologies are indispensable for direct selling companies that want to tap into the rapidly transforming demographics and psychographics of todays new networker. Our industrys quandary is unique: how can we grow our companies in an increasingly connected world while maintaining the human feel of our one-of-a-kind business model? Specifically, how can we harness the massive potential of mobile technologies without fundamentally altering a business model that has stood the test of time? The proliferation of mobile technologies offers opportunities and constraints, new dynamics and difficult thresholds. This report will: 1. Demonstrate the necessity of developing mobile technologies 2. Survey the prospects and limitations of apps currently available for direct selling companies 3. Provide information on providers whose apps are production-ready 4. Analyze the potential benefits in terms of costs, culture, and catalyzing action. Over the past several months weve spent a significant amount of time looking at mobile apps for direct selling companies, as well as mobile statistics and trends. In this time, weve tested and reviewed many distributorfocused mobile app available. We've looked for utility, design and effectiveness. We found several viable solutions from providers with deep enough expertise in both direct selling and mobile app development that any direct seller can feel confident their needs can be met, without waiting for technology to catch up. We suggest that the time, indeed, is now.
Methodology: In February 2012 our research team sent questionnaires about the availability of mobile apps to direct selling companies to thirteen application developers and direct selling software providers. Some were eliminated due to a lack of a working, available app to review or to a lack of response. The companies represented herein have an app available today and have capacity to serve the direct selling companies as of this writing. Our goal was to provide an independent review of available apps and services to direct sellers so that company executives may make informed decisions about how to move forward with their own mobile efforts. Companies who were not included or were not ready for this edition of the Mobile App Report are invited to contact us about participating in the next edition. Please email jacob@momofactor.com
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Pew Research Center, US Smartphone Adoption & Usage Survey, March 2012. 25 Actions Your Company Can Take To Connect With Gen Y Gilliam, Jonathan.
Top Reasons Direct Sellers Should Consider Adding a Mobile App to Their Systems Increase Production
If your active distributors were able to easily increase their daily activity through two additional actions a call here, a quick encouraging text there what would that do for your revenue and retention? A well-designed mobile app can help distributors take effective action quickly. An app can tell them what to do now, in the moment. Hot leads or chance meetings can be acted on more quickly when there are simple in-app presentations and immediate in-app sign-ups. Additionally, with CRM (Customer Relationship Management) built into apps, chances are that your field will follow up much more effectively than they did before.
Increase Retention
The holy grail. A good app can prevent new representatives from slipping through the cracks by alerting and reminding super busy upline leaders to reach out to them at just the right times. It can also encourage new recruits to stick around longer by giving them simple tools to keep them focused and "in the know". The new daily method of operation will become enjoyable and consistent because they can now carry their business with them. Most of all, an app can make the often intimidating sales process of identifying and contacting prospects an easy, systemized experience.
Improve Onboarding
The ability to ramp up new recruits can be streamlined with the smart application of video and training systems to the small screen. This can sharply reduce the learning curve as well. Convenience is the key here videos, podcasts, and presentations can be sent directly to the users screen
wherever they are without having to sit at a desk, find a computer or worry about having an internet connection.
25 Actions Your Company Can Take To Connect With Gen Y Gilliam, Jonathan. MomoFactor.com July 15, 2011.
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stay interested. They also become impatient when they see manual or slow processes that could be improved with technology.
RE-VITALIZE RETENTION
Mobile app technologies offer much-needed support for the foundation of direct selling. When properly utilized, well-designed apps can solve the prisoners dilemma of new recruits who often grapple with how to make the most of what they have to work with. Overloading them with information and maze-like incentive structures can instill a sense of confusion, or worse yet, fear. Too little information risks fostering doubt, complacency, or inaction. Ways mobile can help to increase retention: Training Getting a new recruit off to the right start is crucial. Making mobile a part of that process can easily open up the delivery channel for well-organized training content streamed directly to their
smartphone. It will also allow you to manage your analytics to see if they are actually using the training that was created. Communication - Communication from the home office traditionally sent out in an email blast or posted on a website can easily be overlooked or ignored. With mobile providing users with ways to occupy their downtime, the home office can easily hook a smartphone to an RSS news feed and give them one more thing to read before they get out of bed in the morning or turn-in for the night. Product announcements, promotion details, event postings, and company news can increase connection to the company and increase a sense of being plugged in. Better connection with the company keeps distributors engaged and less likely to drop out. Instant Helping Hand Knowing that an upline is just a click away can make a big difference for newbies. Recruiting can be made easier based on the way the business is presented, thereby increasing retention due to the early success a new recruit will have. Newbies can let the app do the talking until they can actually learn and become comfortable with the process. Tablet or smartphone Apps can enable a more comfortable selling and recruiting process for reps. This will lead to more volume, commissions and ultimately retentionthey wont leave the business if they are moving product and more importantly, engaged with the company.
In short, smart apps can improve communication channels, provide instant access to content and information, and directly augment the motivational structures that have stimulated distribution for generations. This keeps the field active in an opportunity.
COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
Any direct selling marketing executive knows, it is more challenging than ever to communicate consistently with the field. There is far more noise than even five years ago and alerting the field to a time sensitive or even critical events and notices is a huge challenge. Inboxes are overloaded and social media is a frenzy of information and distraction. Today, cultivating community in the field is critical. Communication is the glue that bonds teams together. Smart app technologies feed communication relays that allow for quick and easy dissemination of information. A tip-a-day, new product information, weekly motivational messages from a founder, event support, and productivity tools can yield dramatic benefits in terms of coordination, training, and motivationall of which convert into action. Messaging a new three-minute video each week from home office can begin the process. It should come from the field as well. Leaders can communicate to their organizations through messaging. The key to direct selling success is in the creation of environments that maximize distributor action. New media technologies can strike the proper balance between top-down guidance and organic, on-the-ground selling Some companies, such as Mary Kay, celebrate the anniversary of the day a consultant joined the team, or their birthday. App technologies can provide notifications of these dates and all dates that are important to the field. Field reps are under more time pressure than ever and are seeing ways to increase their ability to multi-task. By cutting through the noise and distractions inherent in multi-level organizations, teams can run more smoothly and efficiently. Fewer hassles and friction for distributors result in aggregate increases in the number of daily actions. All of which will directly impact the bottom line.
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4. App technologies can streamline training processes. Interactive guides or step-by-step information manuals can be developed to show less experienced distributors how to demonstrate products or appeal to customers and prospects. Apps can enable the communication channels for questions and answers in real time. Each additional bit of available information makes action that much more likely to happen, wherever distributors are.
Good mobile apps can provide companies and leaders ample opportunities to teach while mindful of distributors attachments to maintaining autonomy and self-determination. Simple daily reminders can share valuable guidance from the pros and help new recruits keep focused, reduce confusion, and reinvent the meaning of retention.
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Again we emphasize how important knowledge of field behavior and usage of technology is. The developers are competing for you, not the other way around. There are many avenues and paths for you. Cost to companies to implement mobile appear to be very flexible among providers, with most willing to work out arrangements based on per distributor charges, licensing fees or some combination thereof. Pick a developer with a bit of imagination. In such a highly competitive and constantly changing environment, the ability to "think outside the box" is important. You want a developer to go beyond simply meeting standard technical requirements. Rather, you want them to visualize beyond the code and be creative for your business and goals. Let the relationship, not just the results, drive your business proceedings. Make sure your final contractual agreement is worded to benefit your business. Precise language in the agreement should work to your advantage. Choose an appropriate pricing model for your company; some companies may prefer to license the code outright, others may prefer a per-rep model and fit the cost into their web packages. Either way, the pricing model you choose will impact both short-term and long-term costs. You should figure in ongoing development, updates, and bug fixes, along with consultative input and support. Choose a developer who demonstrates a desire for learning the human side to your business. If the providers staff is made up entirely of programmers, only programmers will love the app. Make sure the developer is able to work with all platforms iOS or Android, Windows or Mac and that the app can easily link up with other email platforms or social media sites. Ask questions about the coding language as phone/tablet operating systems use different programming languages, often requiring multiple experts to recode an app. Be aware of any hidden costs associated with developing the app for each platform.
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Designing an app can be like building your dream house. You may have a very specific idea in your head, but run into problems translating it into an architects blueprints. Or you may have only a foggy concept of what you want, but would like the developer to enlighten. In either case, striking a balance between developer creativity, efficiency, and competency is key.
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M OBILE A PP D ESCRIPTION Genie Mobile is a customizable yet modular-based mobile app developed by Atlas Apps, LLC, created for direct selling. A DVANTAGES 100% customizable Direct Selling-specific Silicon Valley venture-backed Deep app expertise Field-based direct selling expertise Most flexible in terms of pricing options
TO
Q UESTIONS
A SK T HIS P ROVIDER
Are native applications available on all platforms? What are the advantages/disadvantages of being a young company in the mobile space?
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BYDESIGN TECHNOLOGIES
D ESCRIPTION Address: Phone: Email: Contact: Web site: Founded: 9950 Princess Palm Avenue Suite 107 Tampa, FL 33619 813-253-2235 sales@bydesign.com Jerry York www.bydesigntechnologies.com 2000 From dsa.org: ByDesign Technologies was one of the first companies to develop and release a 100% web-based Direct Sales Distributor Management platform (Genealogy, Customers, Commissions, Fulfillment). We continually utilize the latest technologies such as Microsoft.NET to stay ahead in the industry and continue to build extremely flexible and easy to use software for both small and large enterprises. Products / Services: Consultant Business Tools, Database Management, Genealogy/Compensation Management Systems, Software, Web Design Core Competency: Software Systems, Backoffice, Web Tools Member of the Direct Selling Association (DSA) Pricing: Multiple options. Flexible, license fee and per user fees Representative clients: N/A
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M OBILE A PP D ESCRIPTION ByDesign offers Mobilize and Revolution oriented towards direct sellers. Revolution is a mobile and Internet-based back office. Mobilize is made up of tools for consultants and distributors. F EATURES Audio Marketing Catalog Communication Organize Orders Presentations Calendars & Events Organization Commissions
A DVANTAGES Attractive User Interface Strong Integration between platforms Social networking built into the app International capabilities In-app ecommerce estimated availability mid-2012 Targeted communications opportunities Q UESTIONS
TO
A SK T HIS P ROVIDER
How customizable is the app? What kind of reporting is available? Are native applications available on all platforms?
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Source: DSA.org
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M OBILE A PP D ESCRIPTION Data Paradigm produces unique direct salesspecific apps. They describe their custom apps as a non-linear, fluid platform. Data Paradigm is unique in that it uses a modular software application set called Camelot, which is intended to be a tool for both back office and business processes. It includes web-based, end-user applications for ecommerce, finance and accounting, inventory management, and fully integrated CRM. The reports and statistical information it offers are numerous. Member of the Direct Selling Association (DSA) Representative clients: ACN, Momentis Pricing: Flexible, license fee; shared success A DVANTAGES Oriented toward continual customization Seamless data integration for DPI clients. Reps have access to their entire Backoffice on their device. Security-focused provider Strong direct selling industry experience
TO
Q UESTIONS
A SK T HIS P ROVIDER
Must a direct seller be a client of the companys backoffice system to avail of the mobile app? What would be the process of switching to a different app developer if needed? Was the app in use originally native? What features will be available in next app?
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LEAPFACTOR
D ESCRIPTION Address: 1880 South Bayshore Drive Miami, FL 33133 Phone: (800) 578-9000 Email: kate@leapfactor.com Contact: Kate Donovan Web site: http://www.leapfactor.com Year Founded: 2009 From dsa.org: LeapFactor enables direct selling companies to deploy game-changing mobile apps that empower their sales force to exponentially increase their business activity while on-the-go. By combining state-of-the-art technology and highend user experience design, the Salesfactor mobile solution becomes the cornerstone for distributors to conduct their business, allowing them to tell the story, present the opportunity, showcase products, take orders, learn the business with multimedia training and monitor business activity.4 Member of the Direct Selling Association (DSA) Pricing: Sliding scale based on usage Representative clients: Avon-Mexico, LIMU Core Competency: Mobile Application Development
Source: DSA.org
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M OBILE A PP D ESCRIPTION Salesfactor, Leapfactors mobile solution for the Direct Sales Industry, increases sales productivity for Direct Sales Independent Business Consultants and optimizes salesforce management for Direct Sales Companies. The iPad app offers an easy-to-use experience of a consumer app, can be implemented in record time and requires virtually no training. Thanks to Leapfactors robust and scalable Mobile Cloud Services, the solution can be deployed as a standalone app or can be integrated with your existing systems.5 F EATURES Documents Training Promotion Messages Genealogy Performance Analytics Promotions Recruiting Orders
P ROS Customized catalogs, order taking, enrollment, messaging, reports, genealogy, social media analytics commission simulator, upselling and party plan hosting International capabilities Q UESTIONS
TO
A SK T HIS P ROVIDER
How long does it take to deploy an app? What environments is your app available in?
Source: Leapfactor
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SMART ONLINE
D ESCRIPTION Address: 4505 Emperor Blvd, Suite 320 Durham, North Carolina 27703 Phone: (800) 578-9000 Email: Steven.bruns@smartonline.com Contact: Steve Bruns Web site: http://www.smartonmobile.com Year Founded: 1999 From dsa.org: Smart Online engages users with the core features of everyday life through innovative web-based and mobile applications. We create products from emerging technologies like mobile and social media, which enable our clients to stay in constant connection with their users through relevant and unique online marketing initiatives. Our solutions allow customers, employees, constituents, and shareholders to engage, communicate, connect and grow with others that share similar interests. Member of the Direct Selling Association (DSA) Pricing: N/A Representative clients: N/A Core Competency: Mobile Application Development A DVANTAGES Multi-industry experience No expiration dates on development International experience, especially in Israel and the Middle East. Q UESTIONS
TO ASK
T HIS P ROVIDER
Who do you typically develop apps for? How active are you in the direct selling industry? Are your apps geared for consumers or businesses?
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It is important to remember that in order for your app to be functional as a backoffice, you will need support from your back office systems provider. Most are willing to cooperate with outside providers to build an API and support the implementation. Many backoffice providers already have APIs in place for some of the app providers from previous engagements, which can save all parties time and expense.
INTEGRATION CONCERNS
Concerns about integration can take a number of formsintegrating old and new data or software, integrating an app with other media or software tools or platforms, or simply transitioning an entire field force into using a new app technology. All of the companies in this report can handle most tech-based concerns. Several providers make it a marketing point that they can handle your information or media-based integration issues, a key component. With the right team and cooperation from your software partners, integration should not be all too difficult. Another concern is training integration. If your app is adopted for training or onboarding the field (which should be a goal of your project) you should ensure the deeper participation of your training and field leadership in your project. Upgrading to mobile technologies does not mean wholesale changes in the way the company or field works. The goal should be to carry on the philosophies and core values of the company into the mobile future. Gradual and phased integration of mobile technologies, perhaps starting at the top and working down, can securely achieve mobility in an orderly fashion.
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CONCLUSION
The direct selling industry relies upon the development of dynamic strategies that connect information and incentives to motivation and action. The bottomline for increasing production is finding seemingly small, yet meaningful, ways to increase the number of actions by distributors. Direct sellers know that more actions inevitably translate into more recruiting, retention, and sales. Your company should seriously consider a mobile strategy, and soon. At some point in the near future not having a mobile application in your distributors' arsenal will be akin operating without a website. Its not a matter of if, its a matter of when. As Mike Edwards, Director of Digital Marketing at Amway, shares the companys reasons for going mobile: Mobile commerce is the future. Pretty much any consumer trend information you read today is pointing to the power of mobile.6 Well said.
Amway launches commerce app for direct selling Mobile Commerce Daily, December 3, 2009.
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We are exclusive to the Direct Selling industry. Our mission is to provide best-in-class marketing & management services to the worlds finest direct selling companies and field leaders. Our firm works to maximize performance for clients by increasing revenue, protecting brands, engaging field & customers, and multiplying Momentum. Most of all, our aim is to become high-value, indispensible partners with our clients for the long term. Call us if we can help you. 9600 Great Hills Trail, Suite 150 Great Hills Plaza West Austin, Texas 78759 +1 512.994.GOGO! (4646) www.MomoFactor.com
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CORE VALUES
We believe that were here to make a difference by helping the companies who help people. We choose to work with clients where we can make a significant contribution. We believe in simplicity versus complexity, clarity over obtuseness. We covet only projects that are truly important and meaningful to our clients and us. We believe in collaboration with our clients and partners, driving quality and innovation. We dont settle for anything less than honesty, integrity and excellence. We value family, friendship, community and spirit.
Values are more than simple statements like we have integrity or we put our clients first. Our values represent powerful ideas about who we are as a firm and how we make decisions under uncertainty or duress, and importantly, what we would give up if we had to make a choice. ~ Jonathan Gilliam
We
hope
you
found
this
report
informative.
If
I
can
ever
help
you
or
your
company
please
contact
me
directly
at
512.692.6849
or
jonathan@momofactor.com.
Best regards, Jonathan Gilliam Momentum Factor LLC 30
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